


Real Folks Blues

by TheViperQueen



Category: Cowboy Bebop
Genre: F/M, also Spike is not here for her shenanigans, like at all, the rating will probably go up at some point so that's also a thing, unoriginal title is unoriginal, writing Faye gives me life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 16:52:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13439112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheViperQueen/pseuds/TheViperQueen
Summary: Just little one shots surrounding Mackenzie Dalman [my OFC] and Spike. All the usual suspects will be making appearances as time goes by. Updated whenever, so that's also a thing...First up: Dead EyesMackenzie was just a good human being, plain and simple. So how could she give her heart to a man with such dead eyes?





	Real Folks Blues

The sound of the dog’s snoring mixes in with the rhythmic snick-snick of miniature pruning shears and the ever-present hum of the _Bebop’_ s engines. To most the combination would be annoying at best but over the past few weeks it has become the lullaby that sees Faye’s eyes drooping more often than not. Today, of course, is no exception. Just as her body has begun to slow in preparation for an impending nap the soft whooshing of an opening door perks her ears up. There are only two people it can be so it doesn’t surprise her when the sound of a pair of well-worn boots is followed by the soft padding of sock covered feet. She can just make out their hushed conversation through her sleep-haze, though she’s too out of it to make any sense of it. As their voices near she groans a bit, not wanting to share her space on the couch, but before she can pull her legs in enough to make room they’re moving past her, seemingly headed for the other door.

Faye lays there for a long moment after they’re gone trying to will herself to sleep once more, but the moment is broken. She jerks her body up into sitting with a loud, frustrated groan and earns an equally loud curse for her troubles.

“Goddammit Faye! What the hell is wrong with you?! Do you know how long it’s going to take for this to grow back?”

She gives the tiny branch that’s being waved at her a cursory glace before shrugging. “Does it matter? You have at least twenty of those things and they’re all in various states of disaster.”

Jet huffs at that. “Yeah, all thanks to you lot.”

“If it’ll make you feel better,” the words stretch out just as sinuously her body as she arches her back before collapsing in her seat, “I’ll pick you up one when we nab our next bounty.”

“Really?”

A snort. “ _No._ ”

Already suspecting as much he chuckles. “I’m not worried about it; I’ll just add it to your tab.”

That has her sitting up again. “What?! You can’t do that!”

“Can and will,” he informs her with a smirk.

“Wha-?!” She growls a bit before letting her body go limp over her knees. Her forehead comes to rest against the joints as she lets out a defeated sigh. “It’s not fair. It’s just not fair! I help you guys out and this is the thanks I get?”

“ _‘Help’_?” Jet arches an eyebrow that goes unseen by the still lamenting woman. “You’ve cost us more Woolongs than you’ve helped to bring in, you know.”

“–for what? Just to be made to pay for basic necessities?” she continues on. “You guys never charge Mac for anything! How is that fair?!”

“That’s because Mac actually pulls her weight around here. She keeps us all patched up and our bounties in good health until we can cash them in.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Faye pushes herself back up enough to prop her head against braced arms. She stares dejectedly at the little tree for a moment before speaking again. “So what’s her story anyway? Mac’s, I mean,” she elaborates when an answer isn’t immediately forthcoming. “She seems like the good girl type, too good to be hanging around the likes of you two.”

Unease etches itself into Jet’s face as he runs a hand over Ein’s back. “You two seem to get along well enough, why don’t you ask her?”

“I did, but she wasn’t in what you’d call a ‘sharing mood’.”

“Yeah, well…” He shrugs. “I don’t know what you’re expecting to get out of me, but I don’t make a habit of sharing other people’s personal information.”

She laughs a bit at that. “A bounty hunter with a moral code? Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Careful now,” she jumps when the familiar voice sounds from far too near, “that moral code is the only thing keeping me from tossing you out of the airlock.”

“What the hell Spike?!” She hadn’t even heard the door opening, let alone him sidling up to her.

For his part the man just swings his ridiculously long legs over the couch’s back to slide into the seat next to her. He interlocks his fingers behind his head as he lounges. “Word of advice: let sleeping dogs lie, Miss Valentine.”

“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?” she asks as she cuts her eyes at him.

“It means, don’t go sticking your nose into other people’s business. It won’t end well for you.” Spike’s posture is just as relaxed as it had been seconds before, but his voice has gone dead in a way that make’s Faye’s blood run cold.

It’s obvious what he’s getting at, but even so– “Are you threatening me? Because I don’t take too kindly to threats.” All delivered with as much steel as she can muster. Spike looks at her then and his eyes are just as empty as his voice was. The sight puts a tremble in her hands that she can’t stop any more than she can look away. She curls her fingers inwards making loose fists as they continue their silent showdown.

“ _Easy now._ ” Jet’s voice holds a note of warning, though who it’s directed at neither can be sure.

Seconds stretch on for what feels like hours as their eyes stay locked, and in the end it’s her who caves. She gives a haughty “Whatever” as she rises to leave. She keeps her head held high and doesn’t spare a glance back, though she knows that all eyes are on her as she moves. It’s only once she’s in the relative privacy of the hall that she allows herself to give in to the icy fear that has gripped her heart. The life that she has chosen to lead has had her brushing up against some of the worst beings that humanity has to offer, but what she’d seen when she looked into Spike’s eyes in there… “ _It wasn’t human._ ” The sentence is barely a whisper, but the metal that surrounds her leaves it echoing down the corridor.

“What wasn’t?”

Of course. _Of course_ Mac had to be coming _just now _.__

__Faye lets out a laugh that’s too loud to be sincere as she pulls her posture up into something mimicking normalcy. “That stew that Jet made this morning,” she says as she waves both of her hands franticly in front of her. “It couldn’t have been fit for human consumption. Canine either if the mutt’s refusal to eat it is any indication.”_ _

__Mac pulls a face and smacks her lips a bit. “Yeah, that stuff was… _Ugh_. It might just be the worst thing he’s cooked up yet, and that’s _really_ saying something. And the taste lingers.” She makes a disgusted sound then and it has them both laughing a bit. “But if you were worrying about having to eat it again for dinner, fret no longer!” She pulls out a little card and brandishes it with a triumphant smile._ _

__Faye lets out a high-pitched squeal as she reaches for the gleaming plastic, though it soon turns into a whine as it’s pulled just out of her reach. “Aww, come on Mackenzie! Don’t be that way.” Now she’s all coy tones and fluttering eyelashes._ _

__“Does that ever work?”_ _

__“You’d be surprised.” They laugh again. “So where’d you get the cash?”_ _

__“Every time we collect on a bounty I put a bit of my share away for a rainy day.”_ _

__“Smart girl,” Faye concedes as she leans against the wall with folded arms. “So they give you a cut of the action then?”_ _

__She shrugs. “They do. I told them it wasn’t necessary, but...” she shrugs again. “It comes in handy at least. The boys, well you see the way the run through Woolongs—though you’re hardly any better—”_ _

__“Well I’ve never been a ‘penny saved’ kinda woman.”_ _

__“You know, you remind me a lot of my sister.”_ _

__The sentence seems to surprise Mac just as much as it does the other woman. It’s the first time that she’s ever spoken to her about anything related to her personal life and Faye isn’t sure what she should do. On the one hand she wants to encourage the conversation—information can be as valuable as any gem, after all—but Spike’s barely veiled threat is still sounding in her head. But in the end it’s Mackenzie that makes the final decision. As she continues to speak her voice is unsure leaving Faye with the impression that she hasn’t talked about her family to anyone in a very long time._ _

__“She was the ‘problem child’, but she was also daddy’s favorite. Couldn’t convince her of that that though. I don’t know how she couldn’t see it. She basically had the run of the house. She did what she wanted, when she wanted, no matter what the cost. She got herself into more than a few scrapes, but he always got her out of it.” Her laugh is bitter as she shakes her head. “He stayed on her case, sure, but he was always there for her. No matter what.”_ _

__She hadn’t known what to expect when the other woman had started speaking, but this is way heavier than what she’s willing to deal with. So of course she falls back on her old standby: indignant humor. “I’m not sure if I should be insulted or…?”_ _

__“Honestly, I’m not sure either,” Mac says with a laugh that’s a bit more genuine than the last. “Sorry, didn’t mean to offend you, really. What I was trying to say is, you just both have this –I don’t know exactly how to describe it… ‘Carefree’ isn’t exactly the word I’m looking for, but I guess it’ll have to do. You leave the future to the future; that’s something I’ve never been good at, thus,” she waves the card again. “Anyway, Spike and I are about to go planet side, wanna come with?”_ _

__Faye wants to say yes, she _really_ does. Floating through space for the better part of a week means that the beginnings of cabin fever have already set in, but the thought of being trapped in such a small space for any amount of time with that man… “No, I’ll pass. I’m pretty much dead on my feet here. I think I’m just going to nap today.”_ _

__Mac leans in then as she looks the taller woman over. Her face has set itself into what can only be referred to as ‘doctor mode’ and she makes that humming sound that all people of the trade seem to have in their arsenal. “Our diet hasn’t been the best these past few days; your glycemic count is probably a bit off. A few hardy meals should see you back in good health.”_ _

__“You’re not going to charge me for the consultation, are you doc?”_ _

__“Nah,” she says with a wave of her hand._ _

__“So generous. Unlike our comrade, Mister Black.” She can’t help the disdain that colors her voice any more than she can stop the pout that follows it. He’s charging her by the square for toilet tissue, for heaven’s sake!_ _

__“I suppose this is the part where I tell you he’ll come around, but I’d be lying.” She laughs loudly at the expression the woman pulls. “They’re letting you stay on the BeBop so they must see something in you that’s worth having around. Prove yourself to them, or better yet, make yourself indispensable and the bills will stop. Probably.”_ _

__“That’s not very comforting.”_ _

__“The truth rarely is.” Faye’s replying hum is noncommittal. “Well I’d better get going before Spike comes looking for me. Is there anything you want? I might be able to squeeze it in.”_ _

__“How ‘bout some wine?”_ _

__“Boxed okay?”_ _

__“I was thinking more of a nice French vintage. Maybe something red?”_ _

__“Boxed wine of questionable make and origin it is then!” The pair shares one last laugh before Mac goes and Faye is left alone once more._ _

___She really is a good kid_ , Faye thinks as she heads to her room… the room that once belonged to Mackenzie. When it had become clear to everyone that the latest edition to the crew was to be at least a semi-permanent one, she’d vacated her quarters so that the other woman could have a space of her own. Gratitude tinged with impatience saw Faye helping her pack up her belongings. There wasn’t much there, but what she did have spoke of a person who lived a life that revolved around others. From the medical journals to the pictures of loved ones that she was quick to hide away, they were all testament to the love and care that she gave to those around her. Mackenzie was just a good human being, plain and simple. So how could she give her heart to a man with such dead eyes?_ _

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: In my efforts to get all of the random shit that I like to write off of my laptop, I bring you this... Yay? So this is something that I wrote a while back once I rediscovered my love for Cowboy Bebop. Can’t say how often I’ll be updating it (esp. since it’s been almost a year now since I last watched the show), but they’re one shots so I guess it doesn’t matter much. All of the chapters will be connected, though not in any real order. If two are linked closely, I’ll be sure to let you know in the author’s note at the top of the chapter.


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